


Lemon Moth!!

by Writing_is_Gone



Category: Gone Series - Michael Grant
Genre: F/F, band au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-27
Updated: 2019-03-12
Packaged: 2019-03-24 14:58:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13813581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writing_is_Gone/pseuds/Writing_is_Gone
Summary: Diana creates a band after being betrayed by her old one.[ON HIATUS]





	1. Say Something

**Author's Note:**

> this is inspired by https://ladrison.tumblr.com/post/170117458461/the-aka-lemonade-mouth-the-sequel,, sadly my sib made me change some things 
> 
> the name is because i accidentally type lemonade moth, so now it's lemon moth.

The beginning of sophomore year sucked ass, like every year before it. The only good news was that Diana knew a few people, and by a few she meant 2. Those specific boys she met through her step-dad. Apparently, her stepdad, one of the boy’s stepdad, and the other boy’s dad all knew and graduated together in college. 

Diana watched her fellow teenagers from the corner of the lunchroom, which has probably the most fanciest lunchroom that Diana has ever seen.

Diana had instantly spotted one of the boys she met over the summer, Caine if she remembered correctly. Caine still had semi-dark hair, and was wearing the black and red school uniform.

He seemed to be searching for something to occupy his time, his eyes eventually landed on her. He made easy steps to her, and leaned against the wall with her.

“Do you remember me at all, sweetheart?” His voice just as she remembered, smooth with slight ill intentions.

“Of course I remember the second biggest jackass I met over the summer,” Diana always replied quickly and sarcastic.

“And who did I lose number one to?” 

Diana saw the jerk enter through the side door, “him.” 

Drake had definitely gotten taller over the summer, and his uniform was unkepted and wrinkled.

“Ah, I should’ve known. Drake’s always been the one to leave a lasting impression on someone.”

“Both if you left impressions. His just happens to be the worst one,” Diana watched as Drake stomped over to them like a toddler after a temper tantrum.

“This sucks ass,” Drake said to no one in particular as he crossed his arms huffily, “why do I even have to go to this building of inbred socialites and genetic waste?”

The way Drake spat it out made it seem like he wasn’t expecting an answer, but of course Diana had to piss him off a little bit more, “Why not?”

Drake’s eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth to continue but the dean of the school stepped up to the microphone and started her yearly speech.

* * *

It was a total of two weeks before she saw either of them again. Of course it was during dinner and Diana was simply reading, not wanting to go back to room with her very rude and slutty roommate.

A tray clattered across from her while another clattered next her. Drake stabbed his steak and smirked and Diana’s nose scrunched by the sound.

“How has school been for you, Diana?” Caine started the conversation.

Diana’s eyes fell back to the book, “Fine, I guess.”

“Seriously, do we need to be here?” Drake butt in, ignoring the current topic.

“What did you sign up for practical arts?” Caine asked his elbows pushing away his plate with his chin in the palm of his hand, faking interest.

“Stagecraft, and why would you like to know?” Diana looked at him through the corner of her eye. 

“I heard from a little bird that you took piano lessons,” Caine coyly played his plate, now pretending disinterest. 

“My second stepdad forced me to do it, and again why?” Diana closed her book and fully faced Caine. Confrontation usually got them to spill their guts.

“Is it true that playing the guitar is almost like playing a piano?” Caine asked another diverging question.

“Yes,” Diana stood up, “please come again when you actually want something from me and won’t pussyfoot around with it.”

Diana didn’t care if she walked in on her roommate video-sexting some dude, she wanted to get away from the creep.

* * *

“Diana, why were you being rude to Harold’s son?” No hi, no how are you, just an accusation.

“Who?” Diana was laying down in her room. Her roommate was at the library with a senior, not studying.

“Harold’s son, Caine!” Her stepdad somewhat yelled into the into the phone.  _ Oh, him. _

“I was just tired and wanted to lay down,” Diana easily lied. It wasn’t like her current stepdad’s opinion matter.

“You will find him, and you will apologize to him!” He clearly ignored what she just said.

Diana rolled her eyes, “Yes, sir.”

“Was that sarcasm?!”

_ Click.  _ “Yup.” Diana sighed, now she had to find a teenage boy, what joy.

* * *

Caine was outside in the very small lunch area, leaning against a tree and biting into a sandwich.

“Running off and tattling isn’t very nice,” Diana greeted him.

“Maybe if you had stayed a little longer I could y’all,” Caine took another bite.

Diana crossed her arms, “Well?” 

Caine got a gleam in his eyes, “I want to start a band.”

“And what does that have to do with me?”

“I read your poem in the hall. It’s well written and incredibly beautiful with word choice,” Caine outrighted praised her.

Diana blushed, she did like writing and incredibly enjoyed pouring all her feelings and thoughts down on paper or computer.

“Plus, if you learn to play guitar, you could play bass,” Caine patted the grass next to him and Diana sat next to him. 

“I could teach you, my parents made me go to lessons for three years,” Caine took another bite and started chewing.

“And whose singing?” Diana had her knees to her chest and her arms rested on them.

“Why me, of course! All my singing instructors told me I have the voice of an angel,” Caine boasted.

_ Yeah, Lucifer. _ Diana sighed, “What exactly do I get out of it?”

“Fame, fortune, fans, what else could you possibly want?” Caine smiled devilishly.

“If I say yes, will you tell my stepdad that I apologized?”

Caine clapped his hands like a child that gotten the best toy for christmas, “Of course!”

* * *

The practice was empty every day after 4:30 according to Caine, which was why Diana had no idea why Drake was there laying on top of four chairs.

“What are you doing?” Diana asked over Drake. Drake stuck his arm into the arm and right in front of Diana. Two drumsticks which looked brand new resided in his hand.

“Parents thought that it could help my anger.” Drake smiled got thinner but longer and he tilted his head towards her, “guess they were wrong.” 

Caine quickly entered the room and smiled brightly, “Ah, Diana. I guess you've seen that Drake is our drummer. Why don’t we start with your bass lessons?” 

Diana shrugged, “Why the fuck not?”

“That’s the fucking spirit,” Drake laid back down.

Diana was bored and currently writing lyrics to a new song in the notebook Caine brought her. It has full of sheer music and it was incredibly easy to write word to the best she made up.

Drake as normal sat across from her and asked, “Anything good?”

Like every single day since Caine got her the notebook, she shrugged and went back to writing. And Drake went back to eating. The conversation would only start when Caine got there.

It was a nice little routine they made that went into Halloween.

Halloween day Caine took Diana’s notebook and they played one whole song. They were mediocre but Caine kept saying, “Like almost everyone before us, practice makes perfect.” 

* * *

By two weeks into November they perfected the song, and Diana’s neighbor across the hallway came and recorded their performance.

“So what’s your guys name?” Taylor asked as she drank grape soda in between Caine and Diana.

“Well, I’m Caine-” 

“No, your band name,” Taylor smiled. 

“Oh, well we’ve never really discussed it,” Caine answered, which he did the most of which was perfectly fine by Diana.

“Well, it’ll take me about week to edit the video, so come find me before then,” Taylor then stood up and grabbed her camera, “I’ll catch ya later.”

Like most of their conversations, it was at the dinner table. 

“I’m serious, the Bloody Ones sounds so much cooler than anything you can think of,” Drake restated for the fifth time that day.

“And it reminds me of my period, so no,” Diana restated for the fifth time that day.

“Hmm,” Caine loudly vocalized.

“Careful there, Caine you might damage your vocal cords and brains with hard you’re thinking,” Drake teased.

Diana rolled her eyes, “Got any brilliant ideas?”

“Only one, Crown the King,” Caine said before he went back to pushing his food around with his fork.

“Crown the King, huh? I guess it’s better than anything Diana could come up with,” Drake said.

Diana shot daggers before simply saying, “it’s pretty simple isn’t it? I like it.”

Caine smiled, “I’ll go tell Taylor.”

* * *

By winter break they had a total of 3 songs memorized and recorded. The fans had definitely rolled in by now, Taylor’s secondary channel full of their 3 songs had about 3000 subscribers so far. 

And things were pretty well. 

* * *

By spring they had 10 songs and 25000 subscribers on their Youtube. They were also scheduled to talk to a student who had a famous podcast channel on Youtube. But sadly by the time that they were going to the podcast Diana was in the hospital because she had fallen down stairs and broken her hand. 

She currently had her headphones in and was listening to the podcast, there was questions about how they got together, their inside jokes, rumors of fooling around with each other. It was time for the private interviews. 

“So, Miss. Lalonde, who writes the beautiful lyrics?’ Jack asked like an actual reporter. 

“Oh! Well it’s me, I absolutely hate showing my face, but I love writing.” Taylor’s fake cheery voice rang out. Diana felt her heart snap in two, and let he headphones fall out of her ears, tears started freely flowing down and across her face. 

The nurse came in since Diana’s heart monitor was going off. 

“Shh, it’s okay,” the nurse was patting down Diana’s hair.  _ No, it really wasn’t.  _


	2. Brick by Boring Brick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana starts the band members.

Diana adjusted her bag straps and sighed. Junior year was supposed to be hardest year according to any junior ever. Diana herself was sinking as close as possible to the wall behind the pillar the the school didn’t need. The dean was on the stage going over how sad she was-and still is that the seniors last year left. The dean quickly changed her mood and discussed her excitement and happiness for the freshmans this year. 

_ Yeah, yeah _ Diana thought rolling her eyes. Diana got her wrist cuff off only two days ago and she was currently trying not to freak out. She hasn’t seen any of her old bandmates since spring break when she got her surgery. 

The dean finally finished her speech with, “Now, in front of the stage are our respectable and more than qualified staff with everyone’s papers and rooming information. If everyone could please proceed in a calmly manner.”

The rest was cut off by the movements of the entire Coates Academy standing up and running to the teachers. Diana didn’t push off the wall and stayed put. Suddenly someone rushed into Diana’s side, at first she thought it was Caine or Drake, but the boy lifted his eyes, and pouted his lip out. 

Realizing that the boy wasn’t going to say anything Diana, as someone who always plays by other people’s rules, raised her eyebrow slightly. Movement on their left got the boy scared and he pushed Diana away from the wall with a cry of ‘hey!’

The boy hid behind her, after a few adults passed them, he poked his head up on her shoulder. Diana turned to get a better look at the boy, okay, so maybe she should stop saying boy since the stupid stickers the dean made this year proclaimed he was a junior like her. 

He had black curly hair, that looked like it belong outside in the sun, not in Coates cramped autotromium. His skin was definitely dark, not tanned, maybe he was part hispanic? The other sixteen year old wasn’t wearing the Coates uniform, instead he went for the yellow winter sweater.

The yellow sweater reminded her of Caine, for some reason. 

_ “Caine,” Diana hissed through her teeth, “no.” _

_ “No what?” Caine turned to her innocently, even though that had to be a facade considering what he was doing.  _

_ “That is the most ugliest shirt I have ever seen,” Diana said pointing at the sweater vest. _

_ “And I agree with our bossy writer in the degrees of that hideous thing,” Drake said from behind his drums.  _

_ “If you don’t change I’ll write a song about how ugly it is,” Diana threatened. Drake snorted. Caine rolled his eyes before looking down at it, “Is it really that ugly?” _

_ Drake nodded, and Diana said, “Change into your purple one, at least that pattern doesn’t remind me of that one story we learned last year in english.” _

_ “The wallpaper one?” Caine suggested. _

_ “Yeah, that one,” Diana nodded. _

Diana felt her blood freeze, she had to forget about them. They used her and tossed her out like she was a milk carton. The boy whose hair was currently moving like it was the ocean tilted his head slightly. Diana steeled her body and nodded, “If you don’t mind I need my schedule.”

The boy’s eyes went wide before he turned and pressed himself into the wall and got out of Diana’s way.  _ Strange kid _ , Diana thought.

* * *

 

Strange Kid as Diana started referring to him, was not seen again. Diana felt like something was off as she entered her English III class. The entire room had a soft pink layer about it, and the room itself smelled like strawberries. The teacher on the other hand seemed like a complete asshole. Mr. Bren was a man in his late forties who always wore a tie, and the same shade of beige pants. 

He was also Drake’s favorite teacher in the fact that he handed detentions out like idiots handed out stupidity. Drake’s own words, not her’s. Diana realized why something was off Drake was laying his head down in the front row, trying to nap before Mr. Bren came in and gave him his first detention as a junior. 

Practically jogging to the back, Diana only noticed that there was only empty in the far left of the class near the doors.  _ Wow, Am I in one of Taylor’s trashy animes? _

Diana sunk down and tuned out Mr. Bren talking about fire and intruder drills. The only that kept her from staring at Drake and probably freaking out was that she was right next to windows. Letting her gaze roam, it landed on Strange Kid picking at the grass outside. 

_ What the shit? _ Diana scooted a little closer and noticed that he was utterly alone. Diana wondered what he was doing.   _ Playing hooky on the first day? Even Drake isn’t that stupid. _

“Miss Ladris, what in the world are you doing?” Diana realized that she was practically leaning over her desk to stare at Strange Kid. Straightening herself up, Diana refused to glance at Drake, and focused solely on the teacher. 

“Enjoying the view that the school is praised for,” Diana answered trying not to let her sarcasm in. A snort was heard, and Mr. Bren’s head flipped around looking for the person who dare laugh in his presence. 

“Well, maybe you’ll still enjoy it in detention,” Mr. Bren said walking back to his desk. A few kids winced in sympathy, a few laughed at her pain, and one let out a ‘ha!’

“I’m sure I will,” Diana said, as the kids let out a string of noises. Diana caught the eye of a girl who’s earrings were violet, and silver, and Diana wondered for a second how they would feel in her hands.

* * *

 

Apparently Coates was too cheap to buy a second room for detention, so Diana was waiting in the Nurse’s Hallway for the ISS room to clear. The kids in ISS left over from last year were held for 5 minutes after class time, and Diana herself knew that was stupid since Coates Academy was a boarding school with room, and meals and a private school. 

Diana was sitting across the ISS room, and directly next to the closed Nurse’s Office. Diana couldn’t hear anything unless the door was open, but judging by the sounds that left the room when one of the nurses ran out as Diana came by to wait someone was fighting with a patient. 

The door opened and the nurse screamed to wait. The door slammed and Strange Kid was glaring at the door, daring it to open and let the upset nurse out. 

“Hey,” Diana said. Strange Kid’s head snapped her, took a look at her, pointed to the ISS room, and back to her. Diana nodded. Strange Kid nodded back, and sat down on the other of Diana. 

The nurse door never did open, but eventually the ISS room opened. Two kids, both sophomores scrambled out of there as fast as possible. Standing up Diana entered the white tasteless room. Mr. Frind or as everyone called him, Coach Frind was the school’s P.E. teacher and the person who was eighty-five percent in charge of the kids in ISS and detention. 

Passing Frind the pink slip which held the most valuable information of why and how long she was in detention. Frind turned to Strange Kid and held out his hand, “You just can’t hang out.”

Slipping into his pocket, Strange Kid pulled a crumpled pink slip. Smiling softly at Diana, Strange Kid followed her to the back middle table and sat next to her. Usual Diana would bat him away but the fact that looked like an eager puppy, Diana felt bad for him. 

About twenty minutes into their hour detention, Mr. Frind turned around and stared at his phone. Feeling a tapping at her shoulder, Diana looked at the mini white board that Strange Kid was holding. 

**Hi    :)**

Diana waved her hand in a mock greeting. Strange Kid flipped the board and wrote something new. 

**I’m Sam. I have selective mutism.**

* * *

 

Sam was probably the only kid at Coates that the teachers called by his first name. Diana realized this as on the second day, Sam actually showed up to his classes. Sam was not half-Hispanic, but half-Hawaiian on his dad’s side. He was transferred to Coates just his year because of his bad habit of skipping school last year. 

Sam is in the Special Education Program for his mutism, and since his mom lives in town he doesn’t live at school like the rest of the poor poor student body. Sam’s mom, Connie was the head nurse and was constantly checking up on Sam. 

Sam hated the nurse’s office and hospitals. Sam had no friends at his old school in Perdido Beach. He did however have someone he called a ‘handler’. Sam described her as a ‘redeeming angel’. Someone who did nice things because they did something bad. Sam loved to surf, and the sea itself. Sam also loved to hide in Diana’s room when he was in a mood. 

Sam, Sam, Sam, right now Sam was the only thing that kept Diana from drowning in loneliness. He was great company in the fact they never needed to talk. Sam knew ASL, but Diana didn’t so communicating through his whiteboard was the best option. Diana also played some music that ‘King the Crown’ covered as practice. 

Sam enjoyed everything that Diana played and as she watched him tapping his foot on the floor as his hands hit bedposts in time with everything. Diana had the worst, best, pettiest idea. To start a band.

* * *

 

Sam had convinced his mom to drive him and Diana down to town on the school’s fifth weekend. It was still warm enough to night swimming. But right now they were on the hunt for equipment, and band members. Diana still had some amps, and a microphone from last year. And her bass guitar. 

Sam had made a ‘woo’ mouth and stared at the impressive work of metal. Diana herself was so glad that she hadn’t destroyed the piece after the podcast. Diana had asked Sam which part he wanted and he responded by throwing his hands in a manner as fast and dangerous as Drake when he played. 

Drums for Sam, a singer and another guitar player was what the band needed. And a name. But as Sam’s therapist said ‘one puzzle piece will always led to the others.’ Which didn’t make any damn sense but whatever. 

Sam himself had an idea for their next guitar player which was why they were in town, at the local grocery store. A kid their age was on the sidewalk, playing some song along with the radio. Sam instantly began to tap to the beat and nod his head up and down. 

Diana pointed in one of their many silent conversations,  _ Him? _

Sam nodded and started to stomp harder as the chorus started. The other teenager looked up and smiled at the sight of Sam dancing in a circle. Diana waved from the side and he nodded his head in greeting as he kept the song playing. 

Once the song was over, Sam skipped over and helped the teenager up. The kid was way taller than Diana and Sam, and was definitely skinnier than the both of them.

“Nice to meet you,” he stuck his hand out to Diana, “I’m Edilio.”

“Diana,” after shaking his hand she continue, “So. I’m trying to create a ban-”

Edilio winced, “Sorry. I don’t I have the time to, y’know, a lot of after school activities. I got work and babysitting.”

Sam’s lip pouted and grabbed Edilio’s arm, doing what Diana knows is a better puppy look than hers. Edilio winced again, and looked back to Diana for help. Diana let her hands open in a ‘your-problem’ way. Edilio nodded, “I, uhh, can’t do Mondays through Thursdays. I got work.”

“And I’m only allowed to come into town on the weekends,” Diana said. 

“Looks like it’s settled then,” Edilio said, “wait, let me give you my info. Do you have  _ Chatterz _ ?”

Diana nodded, and took her phone out, “Just put your name in and I’ll make a group chat for us.”

Sam’s garage was in fact the only space that they could practice without Edilio’s siblings in their faces constantly asking and bugging them about this and that. Thanks to Sam’s neighbor’s in his background, they had a worn down couch to sit and relax. 

Diana convinced her dad to buy and send some equipment, including Sam’s drum set. Edilio played and sang some for them. Sam wrote down songs that they should try to cover or atleast practice with. The only thing they needed now was a singer.

* * *

 

Mr. Bren’s class was the perfect time to write songs in Diana’s opinion. Mr. Bren’s favorite thing was probably metaphors and while the students were supposed to be taking notes on some story that was probably a metaphor for feminism. 

Mr. Bren completely ignored Diana scratching and glaring at the notebook from last year. Drake kept his eyes forward. Earrings had her eyes closed and was probably tuning Mr. Bren out. 

Earrings was probably one of the reasons that Diana was failing English. She was black, a nice easy black on the eyes. Her hair was always up in a dread ponytail, but Diana’s favorite thing was that she had a different pair of earrings everyday.

Diana’s favorites were the silver and purple ones from the first day, a rainbow dragon scale circle ones, and two little peaches that you could only see if you were really looking, which Diana did everyday. 

Of course, Earrings never noticed Diana staring or the way the Diana looked at her when she was searching for the words in her head. Usually Earrings said nothing, and if it wasn’t for the fact that Diana saw her talking to some kids outside of class, she would have thought that she had mutism. 

Speaking of Sam, he was outside like every other day dancing to some song on the radio, shishing his hips, and stomping his feet to the beat. Diana smiled slightly, and noticed that the teacher was glaring yet again at Drake. 

Diana tuned the fight out again, and thought of some lyrics, maybe using the metaphor comparing fires and life to bring friends against fuel in life. Yeah, maybe something like that. 

“That’s stupid,”

For a moment Diana thought she was talking about her metaphor idea, then she realized that one, it was Earrings talking, two, she was talking about whatever reason that Drake got detention.

“Excuse me, miss Talent?” Mr. Bren said shocked. 

“Yeah, Drake’s reasoning is stupid, and has like no standing. But, instead of punishing him for his reasoning, you should explain why and how he’s wrong,” Earrings said with her head at an angle. 

“Who do you think you are to demand how I teach my class?”

Earrings shrugged, and Mr. Bren spoke again, “I think that’s enough to get detention for yourself, and Mr. Merwin.”

Earrings shrugged again.

* * *

 

Sam had to wait in the Nurse’s office for Diana so they could practice some of the routines in her room, when Diana heard someone singing, “ _ So baby turn it up, Cuz the speakers gotta boom, And yeah I like it rough, Till the walls are coming through, I like it loud, I like it loud, I like it loud, I like it loud, Oh, imma keep you up 'til there's nothing left to do.” _

Diana couldn’t believe that that voice was right there and perfect for their band. The door to the nurse’s office opened, and Sam came stomping out, angry yet again. Diana grabbed his arm and made a motion to stop and wait. 

Sam cocked his eyebrow, confused, and Diana brought her hand up to her and told him silently to listen. Sam’s eyes widened at the voice coming through, “ _ Listen up baby we don't have too much time, Don't need no potion 'cause the flavour of my kiss is number 9, This is some ace of base shit 'cause I'm seeing the sign, Thank you for being patient, be sure to keep this in mind.” _

Sam smiled widely, and began to nod his head wildly. He turned to his bag to dig through, to find his whiteboard. The singing stopped, the teacher probably yelled at whoever was singing. 

There was five minutes until detention was left out, Diana just hoped that is was someone who didn’t hate her guts. 

The first person to come through the door was Drake, all agitation and irritation. Diana kept against Sam and prayed that Drake wouldn’t turn left. He went right. Earrings was the only other person in the room and was playing with her headphones. 

Sam was in front of her and smiling, he held his white board up,  **Do you want to join our band?**

Even though Sam didn’t write the stupid smiley face, he looked like the embodiment of the emoji. 

“Your band?” She gestured to both Sam and Diana, Sam nodded wildly. 

“Yeah. This is Sam, he’s drums. I’m Diana -”

“I know. You sit next to me in english,” Earrings interrupted. 

“Yeah, but some kids really don’t pay attention to the other kids in class, so…” Diana dropped off, and bit her lip. 

“So, I do bass, and we have another guitar player, but we need a singer.”

“Me?” Earrings tilted her head and stared at Diana like she was crazy.

“Yeah.”

Earrings puckered her lips and popped them, “So, we’d be spending a lot of time together, then?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay,” Earrings shrugged, “I’m Dekka.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just needed to get my inspiration back, and now it's back!!!! have fun yall


	3. New Rules

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana felt left out, just like before. At the same time she was relieved at how easy the entire group came to each other. In Crown the King, it constantly felt like all three of them were at each other’s throats trying to outdo each other in the simplest things. 
> 
> Here it was easy to let Sam take over finding equipment and thinking about practice songs. Dekka was ready to take over and snap at anyone who disrespected her or her friends. Edilio kept everything light and fun and still focusing on his jobs. It was refreshing, to stay the least.

Diana was currently curled up against Edilio’s old yellow couch. Edilio lived in a old trailer park with his parents and older brother, Miguel. Edilio’s other brothers all lived outside of the state-one was in the army, another in New York. Edilio’s two older sisters both lived in South California. Edilio was currently setting the band equipment in his room, while at the same time cleaning a bit. Edilio’s house was smaller than Diana’s, almost everything was slipped right against each other, and yet. 

Yet, it felt filled with family and love. Two dogs and a cat kept walking to and fro in the house, the kitchen was filled with ingredients and tupperware (when Edilio first told his parents they practically commanded him to join, something to do that made him happy. Then when he told them that they wanted to come to his house for a bit, his mother had demanded to make them something for dinner). 

Sam had his head in Diana’s lap, and he kept making signs towards the ceiling. Diana knew that he truly didn’t want any advice for what was going on, he just wanted to ramble in his own way. Dekka has currently leaning against the opposite arm of the couch with Sam’s feet in her lap. 

Dekka was a mystery to Diana. She was silent and hardly seen with anyone else which led to Diana thinking that she was shy and anxious. In reality, she was as bold as Caine’s outfits. She walked into every room like she owned the world, she held herself in practiced confidence. Dekka saw herself as someone to be proud of. 

Diana had no idea how someone could be so prideful in themselves and not come off at self-absorbed. Dekka was silent because she didn’t think of anything to say, she didn’t have many other friends because most people were scared of her. Sam thought that it was hilarious since the two of the took to each other like cookies and M&M’s (Sam’s analogy, not hers or Dekka’s but both thought that he was right).

Sam was also attached to hip of Edilio, constantly ‘ohh’-ing and ‘ahh’-ing over his guitar, his space, his everything. Diana still wasn’t sure if it had something to do with a small crush or if Sam was always that touchy-feely with everyone. Both could be the answer if the way that he clung to Dekka after the first day was to go by. 

Diana felt left out, just like before. At the same time she was relieved at how easy the entire group came to each other. In Crown the King, it constantly felt like all three of them were at each other’s throats trying to outdo each other in the simplest things. 

Here it was easy to let Sam take over finding equipment and thinking about practice songs. Dekka was ready to take over and snap at anyone who disrespected her or her friends. Edilio kept everything light and fun and still focusing on his jobs. It was refreshing, to stay the least. 

Dinner was almost done, and Edilio was done with tidying his room, so they were just going to wait til after dinner and then practice in Edilio’s bedroom. Edilio’s father had teased them, saying to keep the door open at all times, when Dekka in her confidence spoke out, “I’m gay.”

Sam held his hand up and pointed to Dekka before nodding. True wlw/mlm solidarity. Edilio’s dad just laughed, and nodded before saying, “Well, the door still needs to stay open, my son is bi afterall.”

Edilio rolled his eyes and blushed, Sam seemed to brighten up at the fact.

* * *

Diana was currently waiting for Mr. Bren’s class to start, Dekka was currently sitting next to her, the same as everyday, the only difference was that she had her body turned towards Diana, and was giving Diana her full attention as they discuss which songs would be best to practice tempo and working together. 

Diana was trying her best to ignore the fact that Drake was turned around and  _ staring _ at them. The door slammed open, and while most of the students were currently trying to hide their phones, Diana just froze at seeing Sam being held by his collar. 

“I will not tolerate the excuses your mother has given this school about your behavior,” Mr. Bren started as he dragged Sam to the closest seat to the teacher’s desk, “You have been ditching my class every day for the past 5 weeks and I refuse to let you fail.”

Mr. Bren forced Sam to sit, and Diana noticed that everyone was staring at him. Diana remembered how all of them were kiss-asses, and the fact they were clearly trying to stay out of Mr. Bren’s anger. Sam had his hands gripping his new desk, and was currently glaring holes into Mr. Bren’s desk. 

Mr. Bren just glared down at Sam, and Diana knew what was going to happen. Sam hated the school. He hated the teachers, and the building itself. Sam hated how his mother was. Sam was signing up at Mr. Bren. Mr. Bren glared further, “You are 17. You are old enough to speak like any other student. You have already got enough passes simply being allowed to this school, and with your record of skipping, you should be glad that you are not expelled at this moment.”

Diana felt her blood go cold, Sam didn’t even make a sound when he laughed. Sam was not going to speak to anyone, especially Mr. Bren. Sam’s hands never stopped in Mr. Bren’s speech, not even from shock at what the old man wanted. 

“You will stop,” Mr. Bren grabbed Sam’s hands and forced them done to the desk, “You are going to speak like every other student, I am not going make expectations for a child.”

Sam did something that she never thought anyone would ever do, in a few seconds he had teared his hands out of Mr. Bren’s grasp, stood up, and pushed his way out the door. The door slammed shut and the only sound was Mr. Bren screaming for Sam to return. Mr. Bren got Ms. Rissles to watch the class as he chased down Sam. 

As soon as he was out of sight, the entire class pulled their phones out and started talking to each other about what was happening. 

Diana turned to Dekka who looked so shocked at the scene, that her eyes were still wide, “Do you have any idea what just happened?”

“I think Sam just left Mr. Bren’s class,” Dekka responded. 

“You know that kid?” one kid piped up, and now the whole class-still with Drake-was staring at them.

Diana felt so anger that she couldn’t help, “Yeah, I do. And guess what-he’s mute. He can’t talk. Sure he isn’t blind or deaf, but he can’t speak. At. All. Mr. Bren should be fired for grabbing his hands like that. It’s like taking Rosie’s wheelchair or cutting out someone’s vocal chords.”

Suddenly all the kids started posting online about what great injustice happened to Sam. Diana felt a little better about changing their minds from Sam in the wrong, to Mr. Bren. Drake, for some reason was still glaring at her. 

* * *

The school board decided that Mr. Bren was being put on probation, which just meant a pay cut and more work hours. Sam, on the other hand still had to go to class, in the same seat, he would be expelled if he skipped on more hour of any class. Diana noticed how he had shelled himself up, and was staring at the board with unfocused eyes. 

Diana would have moved up to the first row if it wasn’t for the fact that it was full now. Some kids tried to apologize to Sam, and sympathize with his situation. Sam just nodded and never really responded. Sam never raised his hand in class, and in turn Mr. Bren never called on Sam. In one week, it would be halloween and Diana found them a first gig. 

It was some party in town that wanted live music alongside a DJ, since Diana was smart enough to work both, the kid had hired her and got the deal for cheap. Diana had sent a text out in the groupchat and the only person that had responded was Edilio, saying that he could drive their equipment up there, but there wasn’t enough room to drive members and equipment. 

Dekka was currently in the cafeteria as they discussed who could drive them to the party, when noise got their attention.

“Sam! Sam, stop this instant! You are going to the doctor this afternoon and there is nothing you can do to stop it!” a woman was screaming at Sam. Diana just guessed that this was Sam’s mother, she never was introduced to the woman. 

Sam turned and started to sign manically at his mom, who in turned just sighed, “please, Sam. It was for the best.”

Apparently, whatever they were discussing, that was not the right thing to say to Sam. Sam took a step back like he’d been hit before his face went redder, and Diana swore that his eyes were looking wet, he quickly signed something at his mother before he turned and stomped out of the cafeteria. 

His mom just sighed, before she turned to go back to the nurse’s office. In a few minutes a text was sent out to the groupchat,  _ don’t worry i can drive us there. i don’t know the way so you may have to give directions.  _

In a moment, a second text was sent out,  _ sidenote; don’t worry about me and my mom. i just don’t like my doc and i dont like what i have to talk about _

_ ***sign about _

* * *

“We need a name,” Dekka said as Sam drove them to the party. Apparently his doctor decided to change from monthly meetings to weekly meetings. So, he was still wearing his bracelet. Sam had told them that when he first started his appointments he kept every bracelet as a sort-of memento or something like that, but now he just tossed them the day after. 

“For the band?” Dekka asked as she fiddled with her phone. Edilio had already texted that he arrived and was going to start set-up. 

“Yeah,” Dekka leaned in from the back so she could look Diana in the eye, “I mean it’s our first gig, we need a name.”

Dekka was right, but Diana had no ideas, so she sent a text off to Edilio. In a few seconds, a text responded,  _ oh, i thought that the gc name was the band name _

In reality that was a smart idea, name the groupchat after the band but right now the name was just two bolded exclamation points. Courtesy of Sam who over-puncatated everything. 

“I mean, why not?” Dekka said as she read over Diana’s shoulder, her breath ghosting along Diana’s shoulder blades and down her back. 

Diana nodded and texted  _ makes sense, let’s do it :)c _

* * *

The party was in full swing, in a few minutes the song would fade out and !! could start playing. Still weird to have the band named, not the fact that the name was two exclamation points, but that the band was named. It felt satisfactory, she had no other words to describe what was going through her mind. 

In one minute Dekka would start to sing and then, she would introduce them, and then a few more covers, and then more radio. Diana felt her stomach curl, and she grasped her strap a little tighter. The last few beats began to fade and Sam began to start the tempo.

“ _ Talkin' in my sleep at night, makin' myself crazy _ ,” Dekka started as she to sway her hips. She was wearing some shiny purple shirt and cut at different points, “ _ out of my mind, out of my mind _ .”

The shirt was made to ride up at her crotch area, and it reminded Diana of wings, “ _ Wrote it down and read it out, hopin' it would save me. Too many times, too many times _ .”

Dekka was wearing her silver and purple earrings, “ _ My love, he makes me feel like nobody else, nobody else but my love, he doesn't love me, so I tell myself, I tell myself _ ,” Dekka’s hair was in loose dreads, and she wasn’t really moving her head, just swaying like her hips.

“ _ One- _ ” Dekka stuck her middle finger up, “ _ don't pick up the phone; You know he's only callin' 'cause he's drunk and alone _ ,” she brought her hand not holding the mic up to her head, like she was getting a headache just thinking about what her ‘love’ was doing.

“ _ Two- _ ” Dekka held up her first two digits, “ _ don't let him in. You'll have to kick him out again _ ,” Dekka looked into the crowd with her patented ferocity, and held her finger like she was scolding them.

“ _ Three- _ ” three fingers, “ _ don't be his friend. You know you're gonna wake up in his bed in the morning _ ,” more hip swaying, “ _ and if you're under him, you ain't gettin' over him. _ ”

Dekka was taking to the stage like she took to everything, with pride, “ _ I got new rules, I count 'em; I got new rules, I count 'em; I got new rules, I count 'em. _ ”

Dekka started to tap her foot against the floor, “ _ I keep pushin' forwards, but he keeps pullin' me backwards _ .”

Dekka was smiling up at the crowd, “ _ Nowhere to turn, no way, nowhere to turn, no-Now I'm standin' back from it, I finally see the pattern _ .”

The earring’s were bouncing behind her dreads, “ _ I never learn _ ,” a small pause, “ _ but my love _ ,” a smaller pause, “ _ he doesn't love me _ .”

Dekka sobered up and stopped dancing, “ _ So I tell myself, I tell myself-I do, I do, I do. _ ”

Dekka leaned close to the crowd and made a face like she was whispering a secret, “ _ One- _ ” her voice was softer now, like it was a secret that she was sharing with them and them alone, “ _ don't pick up the phone, you know he's only callin' 'cause he's drunk and alone _ .”

She straightened up a bit further, but kept the soft voice, “ _ Two: don't let him in, you'll have to kick him out again _ .”

Dekka’s voice got louder and she sang as energetically as possible, “ _ Three: Don't be his friend- _ ” she started to moved her body and she continued, “ _ You know you're gonna wake up in his bed in the morning, _ ” she sobered up so fast, it was like whiplash, “ _ and if you're under him, you ain't gettin' over him _ .”

Her voice was harsh as stone, “ _ I got new rules, I count 'em, I got new rules, I count 'em, I got new rules, I count 'em _ ,” she started to get her energy back, and was back to her hip swaying, “ _ Yeah, aah, ah ooh, out again, ah oh, oh oh _ .” It was fun listening to Dekka vocalize.

“ _ I got new rules, I count 'em, I got new rules, I count 'em, I got new rules, I count 'em _ ,” Dekka’s voice continued on her beginning energy, “ _ I got new rules, I count 'em, I got new rules, I count 'em _ ,” she was slowly getting softly and slower like it was getting sadder, “ _ Yeah, ah, ah ooh, out again _ .” the song stopped. 

Dekka’s smiling was blinding, and she wasn’t even out of breath. The crowded clapped-maybe half the crowd but better than they thought.

“Thank you! I’m Dekka. This gal, Diana, can hook up with our info if you want to listen to us some more, and are band is Two Points!”

* * *

“Shit-Caine, you have to hear this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fun, and 'cliff' ending.


End file.
